Page 93 of Game of Destiny

Amie

T he cabin was deserted when we got back.

The rest of our pack was out celebrating and it was well deserved.

I was looking forward to calling my parents, but I could also feel how nervous Finlay was.

Maybe I was being na?ve, but I felt like all the stress, worry and the constant feeling of something lurking outside my field of vision, just melted away.

Our pack was safe and I had Finlay as my mate.

All was good in my world. We opted to sit on the sundeck.

Finlay pulled me down on his lap and we took a moment to snuggle.

“Ready?” I asked him.

“Yes,” he said. I could see, and feel, he was lying. I gave him a soft kiss.

“My mom already likes you, and so does my dad. And as I love you, they will as well,” I told him.

“What if they think I’m not good enough for you?” he asked and leaned his forehead on my shoulder. I raised my hand and ran my fingers through his hair.

“Now you are just being an idiot. You are the Alpha of the third highest ranking pack in the world. I was lucky to snatch you up when I did. Any parents would be thrilled for their daughter to be mated to you,” I told him.

“Your parents aren’t like that. They don’t care about rank, they just want you to be happy,” he pointed out.

“True. And since you are my safe and happy place, you check those boxes as well. We are just going to do this and once it’s done, you will feel silly that you were so worried.

” I took out my phone and started a FaceTime call.

I positioned the camera so only I was visible.

When my mom answered, I saw she was sitting in my dad’s lap. I smiled at our similar situation.

“Hell…” I started.

“Armeria Rose Winstone, what is that on your neck?” my mother interrupted me. She was smiling like the sun itself. My hand moved to my neck and the mate mark. I should have known she would spot it.

“Hello to you too. That was one part of the news I was calling about. I have found my second chance mate,” I told them and I felt myself grin from ear to ear. My mother let out a high-pitched sound and almost bounced on the spot. My dad looked more stoic, but I could see he was happy as well.

“Already? You have never dragged your feet when it comes to the mating bond,” my mother said and my dad had to let go of his stoic face and chuckle. “So who is it?” I panned the camera a little to the right to make sure Finlay was visible as well.

“Hello,” he said. My mother let out another sound and then she gave us a radiating smile.

“Alpha Finlay, I was hoping it would be you,” my mother said.

“Just call me Finlay, no need for titles,” he told her. Both my mom and my dad nodded approvingly.

“Welcome to the family,” my dad said.

“Thank you. I can’t tell you how happy I was when the mate bond formed with Amie,” he told my parents and kissed my cheek. My mom made a cooing sound and even my dad smiled.

“You look happy, pumpkin,” my dad remarked. I looked up at Finlay.

“I am happy. We had already decided to mate when we got back from the games and everything with James had been put to the side. But fate stepped in and pushed the timeline,” I said.

“You said you had more than one news to tell us. What is the other?” my mom asked. I saw a glint in her eyes and knew I had to set things straight. I nudged Finlay.

“We have just come back from getting the results of the games,” he told my parents.

“Yes, Elder texted us to let us know we had placed fifth. It’s a rank to be proud of,” my dad said and I could see the pride he had in Elder and their pack. “By the look on your faces, I would say you placed above fifteen,” he continued.

“We did,” Finlay confirmed. “We ranked number three.” My parents looked at us. Then my dad laughed.

“What a day. My daughter finds her true mate and becomes Luna, my son ranks as number five in the pack ranking and my daughter as number three. We made some good pups, baby,” he told my mom and kissed her. She giggled.

“Dad,” I objected.

“Oh hush. It’s a parent’s right to be proud of their pups, you will see that soon enough.”

“Mom!”

“Oh, I’m sure you have already talked about it. Isn’t that so, Finlay?” she asked him.

“Of course we have,” he happily agreed.

“There you go. We will have to arrange for us to come and visit you soon,” my mom said. I felt my smile falter.

“Pumpkin?” my dad had turned serious again.

“I don’t think it will be that easy,” I said. “The rejection.” I paused. Not even Finlay and I had spoken about it, I had no idea how to tell my parents. Finlay pulled me closer and leaned his chin on my shoulder.

“Just tell them,” he said.

“James didn’t take the rejection well. I tried talking to him a couple of weeks back.

I had hoped we could end it on good terms, but I wasn’t able to get through to him.

When we met yesterday, he still thought he could persuade me to accept him.

” I felt Finlay’s grip tighten around my waist. I rubbed his arm.

“I’m afraid he will try and get revenge by making sure we can’t see each other,” I confessed.

James knew how much my parents meant to me.

It would be easy for him to just not allow them to travel to see me, or to forbid me to come to them.

“It will be okay, pumpkin,” my dad told me.

“He is right, love. We will make sure you get to see your parents. If nothing else works, we will recruit them,” Finlay suggested. I giggled at the idea and my dad laughed.

“That is better,” my mom said. She looked approvingly at Finlay.

“James might be upset right now. Anyone would be after losing my daughter.

But your brother will calm him down and tell him the news about you finding your mate.

After that, he has no choice but to accept facts.

When they get home, his father and I will have a talk with him.

I might not be as close to Mark as I once was, but we are still friends.

We will make sure he doesn't do anything foolish,” my dad told me.

“Do you think he will challenge your mating?” my mother asked.

“The thought has crossed my mind, or that my brother will do it,” Finlay said. “That’s why we talked to the council this morning and had it verified.” My dad looked pleased.

“It’s always better to be proactive,” he agreed. “So, Livia read you and approved?” my dad then asked. I shouldn’t be surprised he knew the councilwoman. He had connections all over the werewolf world.

“She did. Apparently we have an unusually strong bond. We have both a fated and chosen bond that has intertwined in each other,” I explained. Both my parents looked happy.

“Now that is excellent news. No need for you to look so worried, pumpkin. It’s a happy day.” My smile returned as I took in Finlay’s scent and my dad’s words.

“You are right. It is a happy day,” I agreed. We added Elder and Becky to the call and we all spent some time talking and laughing. Before we ended the call, my parents told us all how proud they were of us. It was heartwarming that they included both Finlay and Becky and my good mood was back.

“What do you want to do for the rest of the afternoon?” Finlay asked.

“I would like to stay just like this,” I told him.

“Good idea, we haven’t had sex in a lounge chair yet,” he agreed and started kissing my neck. I giggled and pushed on his forehead.

“Has mating turned you into a sex maniac?” I asked. He chuckled against my skin.

“I have always been a sex maniac around you. I have just been hiding it well.” I was no better myself and I was curious about what he was planning.

A little while later, we had showered, and was back on the sundeck with a big bowl of ice cream. I altered between scooping it into my own and Finlay’s mouth.

“You should ask your mother if we can meet her somewhere,” I told him. He frowned.

“I had forgotten about her,” he admitted.

“She would like to know you have mated,” I insisted.

“The rumour will reach them sooner or later.” I poked him in his side.

“Be nice. She is your mother and she went out of her way to tell you about the state of your brother’s pack.”

“Fine,” he said and took out his phone. I continued to feed him ice cream. After a while, he showed me the phone. It was a message from his mother telling him she couldn’t make it as his brother needed her.

“I’m sorry,” I said and kissed him.

“I’m not surprised.” Maybe not, I thought, but it could still hurt.

“We’ll call her instead,” I told him. He nodded and dialled her. I could hear her answering.

“Hi mother, I won’t keep you long. I have some news I thought you might want to know,” Finlay said. I could hear he had gone back to the more formal way of speaking.

“Is it about the ranking?” she asked. I almost flinched. Did she really think he would call just to tell her what she already knew? And why hadn’t she congratulated him on his good work?

“No, it’s not about the ranking. I found my true mate yesterday. We have mated and it is official,” he said.

“Oh, that is wonderful news,” his mother said. I didn’t think she sounded too happy. There was a pause. “But what about Amie?” she then asked. I think Finlay was as surprised by the question as I was. But then he got a big smile on his face.

“She is quite happy about it. Amie is my true mate,” he explained.

“Oh, that is even better news,” his mother told him. This time she actually sounded happy.

“I will put you on speaker so she can join in.”

“Hello, Tamara,” I said.

“Hi, Luna Amie. I'm so so happy to hear about your mating. Congratulations to the two of you,” his mother said.

“Thank you. We are both very happy. And it’s just Amie. We are family, so no need to stand on formalities.”

“I needed some good news today and this is the best one I could get. Now I know my son will have someone to look after him. It eases my worries a little,” she said.

“I can take care of myself,” Finlay objected.

“I will make sure he is fine, Tamara,” I promised, ignoring what he had just said.

“Thank you. I would love to talk longer, but things aren’t good here. The ranking was a big blow to the pack. I need to get back and help everything along,” Finlay’s mother told us.

“It’s okay, we understand. If there is something we can do, please let us know. Take care of yourself and of Alpha Ryder and we will talk again soon,” I said.

“Yes, if there is anything we can do, we will do what we can,” Finlay agreed.

“Thank you both. I will keep that in mind.” We said goodbye and as we relaxed back in the chair again, I thought about the difference in our families and the two calls we had. Matilda joined us out on the sundeck. It was almost time to start dinner.

“Will you help me cook today?” she asked me.

“Sure, I would love that.”

“Why do you need her help?” Finlay asked.

“Because I like spending time with her, she’s a good cook and it’s healthy for newly mated wolves to get a break from each other,” Matilda said. Finlay looked like a pouting two-year-old and I laughed.

“You can help as well,” I suggested.

“A brilliant idea,” he said. Matilda rolled her eyes and then winked at me.